Up first for 2012 is the FiFi “Indie” Category for Fragrance of the Year (Men’s, Women’s or Shared). The finalists and the winner will be honored at the 2012 Elements Showcase event on January 31 in New York, receiving the FiFi statuette and a $10,000 check courtesy of Givaudan, in addition to being recognized at the 2012 FiFi Awards Ceremony on May 21, 2012.

To enter the Indie category for Fragrance of the Year, the following criteria must be met.

Must be an established (registered company) brand and on the market for at least two years.

Must be independent, not distributed or owned by a large company.

Must be sold in 1–50 doors (actual number of stores) in the U.S., including online.

The nominated fragrance must have been launched in 2011.

Voting for the Fragrance of the Year in the “Indie” Category is scheduled for early January 2012, with the exact date yet to be announced. Entries will be judged by a panel of independent judges comprised of fragrance authorities, beauty press, retailers and other professionals in the fragrance and beauty industry.